Voice Testing and pondering Ink City

[bone_daddy]

I'm glad I have a place to talk to you now, Miss Mundane. I know you don't have a whole lot of time, what with Christmas coming up, and everything, so it's very nice of you to make some for me. It's always exciting, what with all the decorations and presents and Christmas carols and all.

...Oh, no, no need to worry! I've learned my lesson about messing with other people's holidays. But Christmas is still fascinating! I can see why you all enjoy it so much, even if it is alot of work.

And I know it might be a bit much to ask right now, but do you think you could get started on my application to this Ink_City place this week sometime? I may not run Christmas, but it would be nice to have somewhere to celebrate it. That, and I've heard that there are some wonderfully terrifying folks there that I may be able to use as inspiration for next Halloween!  Well? How about it?

Comments

[notaglitch]

Decorations, presents, carols, and candy. Can't forget about peppermints and chocolates and caramels now can we?

[Sweets ARE the best part about Christmas, you know.]

[bone_daddy]

[Crouches down to talk to the little girl more easily. Jack is taaaaaall.]

Of course! Candy is a big part of my own holiday as well, what with all the trick-or-treating that goes on.

Though there's usually not any peppermints involved on Halloween. I leave candy canes and things up to Sandy these days.

[Best part of Christmas and Halloween, yes.]

[notaglitch]

[She tilts her head a little, raising her eyebrows.]

Halloween eh? I've got a friend who would really like you.

[Gloyd, hands down. The kid is based off of Halloween Candy in the first place for goodness sake.]

But I hear yer' mun is thinkin' about sendin' you to Ink City...? I'm warnin' ya- it's a pretty weird place. But it isn't so bad, once you get to know the place an' the people there a bit.

[bone_daddy]

Oh? And who might that be?

And yes, I've heard. That's part of the reason I want to go. You never know where you're going to find inspiration, after all, and after that whole Christmas mess awhile back, I've been trying to keep Halloween as fresh and terrifying as possible!

[His voice goes a bit lower on the word 'terrifying', for emphasis.]

Keeps folks from getting bored, you know. [And by folks, he means himself.] And scaring is so much more effective when it takes someone by surprise.

[notaglitch]

Aaahh- jus' a friend from back home. He's reeally into candy and tricks, and for him it's like every day is Halloween.

Is that so?

[By the looks of him, she can't say she's all that surprised.]

Well sounds like Ink City is th'place for you then! Though my mun says things have been pretty quiet around there for a while....they did have some sortof problem with the way people get in and out of the game, but I'm guessin' it's been fixed by now.

[bone_daddy]

Sounds like just the sort of fellow I ought to talk to. He'd probably be right at home in Halloween Town!

[No, he really wouldn't. In fact Halloween Town would probably creep him right the hell out. But of course, Jack doesn't know that.]

Is he in Ink_City, by any chance?

And not to worry; from what I understand, games like that rarely stay quiet for long.

[notaglitch]

I wouldn't be surprised! Aaaaand...I think so? I think he's supposed to be comin'-

Yeah, that's what I've heard too. There's bound to be SOME sorta crazy mishap sooner or later.

[okay_agame]

You've tried doing Santa's job before?

[snakesnspiders]

Just up'n leavin' Halloween Town, Jaaaaaaaaack~?

Closest to a sheepish icon I've got XD

[bone_daddy]

Once, yes. It... didn't turn out so well.

[Understatement of the year there, Jack.]

I'm just glad Sandy Claws was able to fix the mess I made of his holiday in time.

[okay_agame]

I can't imagine it being that easy. Especially if you don't have all his magic.

[bone_daddy]

[Well there's a sack face he'd hoped not to see again.]

Only after making sure you won't be causing any more trouble while I'm gone, Oogie. And speaking of which, I thought I'd already taken care of you. Or did your little minions manage to dig you out from under a rock somewhere?

[If that's so, Jack will have to have a little... chat with Lock, Shock, and Barrel when he finds them.]

[bone_daddy]

It wasn't. I spent a long time just trying to understand the whole 'Christmas' thing, and even then I don't think I ever really quite got it right. Which I suppose should have been a hint right there, but well... you can't really blame me for getting excited after falling right into the middle of Christmas Town.

[okay_agame]

Wait...Christmas Town? I'm a friend of Santa's, and I've never heard of the place.

[bone_daddy]

[Jack just looks confused.]

But... if you're his friend then you must have visited there! Sandy Claws rules Christmas Town just like I rule Halloween Town. In fact, all we ever knew was taking care of our own holidays until I accidentally wound up in Sandy's world and found out about Christmas.

[okay_agame]

Call it a hunch, but I don't think we're from the same world.

[bone_daddy]

... It's beginning to look that way, yes.

[Scratches his head for a moment, looking thoughtful.]

Well then, I suppose a proper introduction is in order, isn't it? [Offers handshake] I'm Jack Skellington, The Pumpkin King and ruler of Halloween Town. Pleased to meet you.

[okay_agame]

[He'd normally be worried a bit about shaking someone's hand, but he figures a skeleton's not gonna care that much about how cold he is. So he takes Jack Skellington's hand, and gives a firm shake.]

Jack Frost. I take care of the snow and ice.

[snakesnspiders]

I'll be sure to cook up somethin' special~ for when ya roll around.

[He just waves off the question with a low chuckle.]

I have my tricks, Bone Man.~

[bone_daddy]

[Jack doesn't react at all to the cold of the handshake. Which, along with the fact that he's been both set on fire and dumped in a snowbank without so much as wrinkling his tux, is yet another indication that temperature doesn't really seem to be a necessary consideration with the bone man.]

You'd like Christmas town, then; there's snow all over the place there!

And you'd certainly be welcome in Halloween Town as well. We've only ever had snow there once, and everyone really enjoyed it.

[okay_agame]

[Just like Jack thought. It was always nice when someone didn't feel the need to recoil from just a slight touch. He smiles.]

If they had fun the first time, just wait till I blow through. They'll never know what hit 'em.

Bet you've got all kinds of scary stuff there, too. Great for playing tricks on people, right?

[bone_daddy]

Oh, certainly! Scaring is what we do, and we always appreciate a good trick.

Though I'd watch out for three particular tricksters while you're there: Lock, Shock, and Barrel. They may well be Halloween's finest trick-or-treaters, but they tend to take things a little too far sometimes. Nothing you can't handle, though, I'm sure.

[okay_agame]

I've faced down the Boogeyman before, if that makes you feel better about me.

[He leans on his staff.]

So. What kinds of things do they do?